Interconnection junctions, such as the interconnection between two cables or a cable and a piece of electronic equipment, may be subject to mechanical degradation from environmental factors such as moisture, vibration and repeated expansion and contraction from daily temperature changes. As an example, a fiber optic cable assembly might be terminated with a dual LC connector (DLC) where the end customer might desire SC terminations. A cable assembly configured to provide a DLC interface on one end and SC on the other would provide the interface desired. Unfortunately, LC connectors are not weatherproof, and if exposed to harsh conditions will not perform at an optimal level for any significant time period. Therefore, it is desirable that the connection be isolated from moisture, ice, dust, oil, and other contaminants which could cause premature failure.
Outer sealing enclosures that surround or enclose a cable interconnection have been used to protect such interconnections. Enclosures often apply rigid clamshell configurations that, once closed, may be difficult to open, especially when installed in exposed or remote locations, such as atop radio towers; gaskets or gel seals may be applied at the enclosure ends and/or along a sealing perimeter of the shell.
Elastic interconnection seals are also known. Elastic seals can be advantageous by virtue of being more easily installed over the typically uneven contours of a cable or cable/equipment interconnection. Exemplary configurations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,373 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/646,952, filed Oct. 8, 2012; Ser. No. 13/938,475, filed Jul. 10, 2013; and Ser. No. 14/245,443, filed Apr. 4, 2014, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The continued development of additional configurations and varieties of connectors can necessitate additional sealing configurations and techniques.